Police investigate repatriated drug suspect Park Wang-yeol

Police in South Korea have launched a full-scale investigation into Park Wang-yeol, a 48-year-old suspect known as the “Telegram drug kingpin,” following his repatriation from the Philippines on Tuesday morning.

Park arrived at Incheon International Airport at 7:16 a.m. under heavy escort. Officers held both of his arms as he emerged wearing a black baseball cap pulled low over his face. His handcuffed hands were concealed with a black cloth, while tattoos on both arms were visible beneath a short-sleeved cardigan. Without wearing a mask, he walked out of the arrivals gate with a rigid posture. He declined to answer reporters’ questions, including whether he acknowledged the drug trafficking allegations.

Park is accused of orchestrating a large-scale drug distribution network in South Korea via Telegram under the alias “Jeonsegae,” meaning “worldwide,” even while serving a prison sentence in the Philippines. He had been convicted of killing three South Koreans in a sugarcane field and was sentenced in 2022 by the Philippine Supreme Court to up to 60 years in prison. He had been held at New Bilibid Prison.

Police said multiple investigations related to Park, previously handled by different agencies, will be consolidated under the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency. A 20-member task force has been formed, consisting of 12 narcotics investigators from the Gyeonggi Northern agency, two from the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency, and six members of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s virtual asset analysis team. The Gyeonggi Northern agency, which took custody of Park upon his arrival, began questioning him on the first day of his return. When not under interrogation, he will be held in a detention cell at Uijeongbu Police Station. Authorities plan to seek an arrest warrant for him as early as Wednesday.

An accomplice identified only by his surname Kim, who took part in the killing of the three South Koreans with Park in Bacolod in 2016, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2017. Park previously said he would do the same again if given the chance to return to the past. However, the murder conviction has already been finalized in the Philippines and will not be subject to further investigation in South Korea. The probe will focus solely on his alleged drug trafficking activities. A 31-year-old associate surnamed Lee, known as the “Vatican Kingdom,” who distributed drugs domestically after receiving supplies from Park, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2021 and is currently serving his term.

Depending on how the investigation unfolds, Park may remain in South Korea for an extended period under a temporary transfer arrangement. Lee Ji-yeon, director of the International Criminal Affairs Division at the Ministry of Justice, said that in principle, Park must return to the Philippines to serve the remainder of his sentence once domestic investigations and trials are completed. However, she added that authorities may consult with the Philippines to extend the temporary transfer if necessary.


인천=조승연 기자 cho@donga.com